The present invention relates to devices to facilitate the re-encoding of characters on a document and, more particularly, to an extended clear band device for attachment to a misencoded document to permit proper reading of the characters by machine reading equipment.
The utilization of magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) characters on documents, such as bank checks, has become a relatively standard technique to implement mechanization of reading such documents through machine reading devices known as reader/sorters. The MICR characters must comform not only to particular specifications with respect to the characters themselves, but also must be placed in a predetermined location on the document to be machine read. The location of such characters is characteristically referred to, in the banking industry for example, as the "clear band". The clear band is typically a band extending parallel to the bottom edge of the document that is reserved for the receipt of such characters. When characters are placed in this band, they are thus properly positioned with respect to the bottom edge of the document so that they pass the read heads of the reader/sorter equipment. The length of the clear band is also usually designated in accordance with specific specifications defined by the industry utilizing the MICR character system. For example, the American Bankers Association promulgates rigid specifications to permit checks and other similar documents to be machine read.
The information contained in this "clear band" will usually include identification of an account, a bank and its branch, and the amount indicated on the check by the payor. Some of this information (i.e., account number and bank/branch identification) is pre-printed; that is, the information is placed on the checks before they are distributed to the bank's customer. Other information (the amount) is post-encoded; that is, after the check has been presented to the bank, the amount indicated on the check by the customer is encoded in the clear band by the bank.
In some instances, the reader/sorters fail to properly read the document. The reasons for such inability to read are numerous and can include such things as poor quality character printing and the like. Further, in some instances the post-encoded amount may be erroneous and the amount therefore must be corrected before the document is to be read.
There are various corrections techniques utilized by the industry to provide a means for re-encoding the document so that the information is properly fed into the reader/sorter. These techniques include removing the post-encoding from the document chemically and re-encoding the document (a technique that does not work well with the pre-printed or pre-encoded characters), carrier documents (envelope-like structures in which the document is inserted and the information encoded on the outside of the envelope), labels (usually placed over the erroneously encoded characters and which receive the re-encoding on top of the label), and extended clear band devices. The present invention relates to the latter technique.
Prior art extended clear band techniques require that the device be made out of homologous sulphide-type paper stock suitable for receiving MICR inks or impressions from magnetic transfer ribbons. To provide a suitable surface for receiving such inks, it is important that the paper be receptive to the inks to permit proper adhesion of the inks without the formation of voids or irregularities in the character. These extended clear band strips are usually pattern coated with some sort of adhesive along an upper horizontal edge of the strip. The adhesive is normally covered with a protective release paper which is subsequently removed to expose the adhesive and permit the contact of the adhesive with the back surface of the document along the bottom edge. The strip of paper beneath the adhesive pattern is thus exposed along the bottom edge of the document to form the "extended clear band" to receive the re-encoded MICR characters.
Such manually applied extended clear bands are difficult to position properly; for example, the bottom edge of the extended clear band is sometimes not parallel to the bottom edge of the repaired document. In the latter event, some of the adhesive is exposed, resulting in "piggy-backing". The latter phrase is typically used to indicate that two documents have become stuck together and are carried through the transport mechanism of the reader/sorter to cause jams. Further, when the bottom edge of the extended clear band is not parallel to the bottom edge of the document, the document may frequently be transported out of line past the read heads of the reader/sorter, thus causing a reject. The difficulties with the manual application of extended clear bands can be alleviated through the utilization of machine application; however, the acquisition and maintenance of a machine to apply extended clear bands is not justified when the volume of documents being handled is not large. Thus, the smaller organization with a lower volume of documents must either put up with the difficulties of prior art extended clear band devices or must seek alternatives. Further, prior art extended clear band strips require expensive pattern application of adhesives which render the extended clear bands relatively expensive.
Other techniques have been suggested, such as the use of heat sensitive adhesives for attachment of the extended clear band to a document, coupled with a provision for tearing or removing the extended clear band from the document (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,942). Such techniques require equipment for heat sealing and therefore increase the complexity (and the cost) of the use of such devices.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an extended clear band that is inexpensive to manufacture and may nevertheless permit easy and accurate attachment to a document.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an extended clear band utilizing pressure sensitive adhesives wherein the release paper forms the character receiving surface of the extended clear band.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an extended clear band that facilitates accurate positioning on a document by providing both a straight edge for abutment with a document edge and a contrasting color between an adhesively coated backing member and an indicia receiving release paper.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.
Briefly, and in accordance with an embodiment chosen for illustration, an extended clear band device is constructed having a backing member formed of a conventional high density kraft paper coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. Two release paper strips are secured to the adhesive side of the backing member, the first of which is removed to expose the underlying adhesive and the other of which remains adhesively secured to the backing member to provide both an abutting edge for contact with the lower edge of the document and an indicia receiving surface for receiving re-encoded information. The release paper is provided with a contrasting color with respect to the adhesive coated side of the backing member. Normally, the release paper will be provided with a white surface, while the underlying adhesively coated backing member will appear brown.